Assessments 101

Elementary Rubric

We have been Sliding into 2^nd grade for 6 weeks now and it is time to ASSESS what we have learned! Assessment is not just the "Fancy Nancy" word for a test, it is a description of a process. I am not really "testing" the students but am assessing their learning to determine what still needs to be taught. The word test implies a onetime event where you either get it or don't. My philosophy, and that of our district, is to use assessment to determine what the students know and what they still need to learn. We do not assess and then just move on; students will continue to receive instruction in the material if needed.

In this post you will see a document that is my explanation of our district’s grading rubric.  This was created to be a visual example to students of how they are scored.  As you can see, 4 is the highest possible grade that is given.  But this 4 may look a little different on different assessments.  For example, our math unit assessments all have 20 possible points.  An Advanced score, which would be equivalent to a “4”, is 17 or more points.  A Proficient Score, or “3”, would be 13-16 points.  Our Oral Presentations had 12 possible points, so a “4” would be 10 -12 points, while a “3” would be 8-9.  It is a little confusing but in the end what matters is that it is a consistent grading scale for students to understand.  They know that a 3 or higher is my expectation for them, and I’m sure that it is your expectation too!  The 4, 3, 2, 1 scale is also the score that is reported to you on the report card each quarter.  If you have any questions about grading policies or your child’s assessments, please feel free to contact me directly!

Now that you have had a little "assessment" tutorial of your own...What exactly have we been assessing this past week? Our first social studies unit this has concluded and students were given a social studies assessment and an oral speaking assessment over American symbols, traditions and culture. All students were also given their first math assessment which covered addition strategies and doubling. This one was a bit more difficult as they had to EXPLAIN in writing what strategies they use when they are adding and doubling. We are also continuing our weekly spelling assessments and math facts assessments.  We did a LOT of assessing!  


I am happy to say that overall students ROCKED their assessments! They have learned a lot in our 6 short weeks together and we all have a lot more to learn. I'm grateful for assessments that remind me how much my 2nd grade friends are learning and growing! :) I will be sharing all of these assessments and more with you at conferences in just a few short weeks. I can't wait, can you???